


Three Stars

by helloearthlings



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Space, Beginnings, Crimes & Criminals, M/M, Outer Space, Private Investigators, Science Fiction & Fantasy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-31
Updated: 2017-12-31
Packaged: 2019-02-25 22:27:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13222512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/helloearthlings/pseuds/helloearthlings
Summary: 00000 Nowhere Avenueread the hastily scrawled address written on the back of Annis Carleon’s business card.She’d been the one to send Arthur on this careening pathway of Nowhere Avenue in the first place, this red-tinted underground mountain with its swirling patterned walls, crumbling rocks, steadily lighted by the magic of its inhabitants.You’ve got to follow the magic, boy,Annis had warned him in the Nemethian marketplace two cities away. It seemed like a lifetime ago.You can’t find anything without following the magic. And Nowhere Avenue is where the magic lives.





	Three Stars

**Author's Note:**

> Apparently today is the day of trying to add on to things I've already started, so here's one very weird mish-mash of an attempt of a ton of different things that I love like outer space and criminals and private investigators and cool parallels to canon...and it's really more of a beginning than anything, a beginning that I don't know if I'll ever add to, so I'm posting it as a one-shot and hoping you just enjoy the super cool world that I set up and then make up your ending to the story. 
> 
> I promise it'll probably be cooler than anything I come up with. But I might! I'll sleep on it and see how I feel about writing something chaptered again, though I despise having WIPs. I'll think about it, though. I really will.
> 
> Happy New Year, unless I somehow finish something else tonight (since I have no friends or plans ahahhahaha) and post it for you. Otherwise, see you all next year!

_00000 Nowhere Avenue_ read the hastily scrawled address written on the back of Annis Carleon’s business card.

She’d been the one to send Arthur on this careening pathway of Nowhere Avenue in the first place, this red-tinted underground mountain with its swirling patterned walls, crumbling rocks, steadily lighted by the magic of its inhabitants.

 _You’ve got to follow the magic, boy,_ Annis had warned him in the Nemethian marketplace two cities away. It seemed like a lifetime ago. _You can’t find anything without following the magic. And Nowhere Avenue is where the magic lives._

Arthur had seen different numbers scrawled in the reddish tint of the rock – it could have been blood, but he wouldn’t let his mind go there – but he’d yet to see a string of five zeroes in his three hour walk since he’d entered the side of the mountain. He wondered if you needed magic to see it and his heart beat faster.

 _You could have magic, too,_ Morgana spat at him before she left the house, left the planet, left Arthur forever. _And then where would you be?_

Arthur’s regret ate him inside at how he’d let his sister be taken away, barely raising a fuss after his initial shouting at his father, who had cast his thoughts aside as if they were worthless. His father’s miserable fear and hatred had ruled Arthur for too long.

So after he heard news of Morgana’s escape – kept from him by his father for months – he knew he had to follow her. Follow her to Nowhere. Because where else would a criminal go? Where else would the magic go?

He didn’t see a soul until there was a little dark-haired boy dressed in a green frock outside of a slit in the cavern that read _1212121212_. The boy noticed Arthur immediately, his bright green eyes blinking in Arthur’s direction.

Arthur slowed to a stop.

“Are you looking for Nimueh, Morgause, or Emrys?” The boy’s high voice asked, words crisp and clear, hanging in the empty space between them.

“I’m looking for 00000 Nowhere Avenue,” Arthur said carefully, heart in his throat, wondering how powerful this little boy was and if he intended to hurt Arthur. “Do you know which one of them lives there?”

The boy blinked rapidly at him, eyes clouding over, and Arthur was reminded of how Morgana’s eyes would get cloudy when she had visions.

Morgana hadn’t had much magic when she left but the visions were enough to pique the attention of the army, who had stormed their house at half past one.

Uther’s orders.

He couldn’t even turn his daughter over peacefully. He had to call in the reserves.

He’d threatened to call them in on Arthur if he dared intervene. So Arthur had to sneak away from his planet, from his home, in the dead of night, and find a ship willing to take him to Nowhere.

Nowhere was where the magical lived; it was a planet of crooks and thieves and criminals. Arthur supposed that after what he’d done, he fit right in.

The boy’s eyes refocused on Arthur’s, bright and attentive. “Go to Nimueh and she will see your father in your face and slice you open. Go to Morgause and she will test you. If you pass, you may find what you are looking for, but not what you need. Go to Emrys if you want to find what you truly require.”

Arthur’s heart beat louder in his chest, wondering if this was a trap or a trick. “Can I find Emrys at 00000 Nowhere Avenue?”

The boy smiled at him, just slightly, teeth white, and he seemed almost ordinary in that moment. “0000 Nowhere Avenue is Nowhere. You can’t find anything in Nowhere. Not for long.”

The answer was not reassuring, but at least Arthur had a name. _Emrys_.

“Who are you?” Arthur started to move down the corridor but stopped when he saw that the boy didn’t move, only curled his tiny hands in on one another, closing his eyes.

“I am Mordred,” the boy said without opening his eyes. “I try to help travelers. Travelers like you, Arthur Pendragon. Many here will try to lead you astray, but I only want to help.”

“Thank you,” Arthur whispered, staring at him for a moment, but Mordred didn’t respond. He was only a child, Arthur reasoned with himself as he turned away, Mordred’s little sanctuary quickly disappearing from sight. He wouldn’t try to hurt anyone.

But Arthur had never known children on Nowhere.

After he’d arrived, he spent weeks wandering around Anywhere, the capital city of the planet, asking again and again if anyone knew his sister, if anyone knew Morgana. He’d lived on street corners begging for change, for information, for anything to help.

It had been Annis who’d taken pity on him and given him a bed, given him a gun, and given him the address of the most powerful magic on Nowhere. If anyone knew where Morgana would be, it would be the owner of the property at 00000 Nowhere Avenue.

“Lost?”

A silky smooth voice made Arthur jump, the gun that had hung loosely at his side suddenly tight within his grip as he whirled around to face a woman, maybe five years old than himself with a long blonde braid and a dress that shimmered red despite the fact that the cavern had no natural light.

“Who are you?” Arthur willed his voice not to shake as he pointed the gun at her. She laughed, sultry and low. Arthur knew that she must have magic and that the gun would be useless against her, but it gave him some security to know that there was at least something that he had to defend himself with.

“My name is Morgause, pet,” the woman smiled at him, but her smile didn’t make her human, not like Mordred’s did. It made her feral, animalistic, a predator ready to pounce on its prey. “And with that shiny blonde hair and self-righteous clomping – well, you must be Arthur Pendragon.”

Arthur remembered what Mordred said – Morgause would test him. She could bring him what he wanted, but not what he needed.

Morgause might not be his best option, but it sounded like he might be able to get out of this with his limbs still attached to his body.

“I am,” Arthur said, forcing as much strength into his voice as he could muster. “I’m looking for 00000 Nowhere Avenue. And for my sister. Morgana Pendragon. Do you know her?”

Morgause laughed again, long and slow, as she waltzed toward him, gaining step by step. Arthur did not step backward in her little dance. He knew he couldn’t let her lead.

“Oh, I know her, pet,” Morgause said and Arthur’s heart leaped into his throat. “She’s my sister, too.”

All of the adrenaline in Arthur’s body seemed to ramp up at the same time as he gaped at her, her long and throaty laugh echoing through the chambered walls.

“Do you want to see her, pet?” Morgause was suddenly close enough that Arthur could feel her breath against his cheek. “I can take you to her. For a price.”

“Price –?” Arthur began to ask shakily, thinking that he really had no other option but to do as she asked, as she could clearly overpower him, but before he could finish there was a voice from behind him.

“Morgause!” A man’s voice snapped, and Morgause pulled away, a scowl on her face as she glared at someone behind Arthur’s back. “Don’t scare the travelers!”

“This is my jurisdiction,” Morgause practically snarled, taking a step past Arthur, which Arthur took as an opportunity to turn and see who she was addressing.

It was a young man maybe Arthur’s age, tall and lanky with dark hair and large ears. He looked like an inhabitant of Anywhere with his leather coat and amulet hanging around his neck to ward off evil, and it made Arthur relax, just slightly, to see someone who looked halfway ordinary in such an extraordinary place.

“Not anymore,” the stranger said snidely to Morgause, whose lips were pursed angrily. “This spot belongs to 00000 Nowhere Avenue effective three minutes ago. I’ve given you the Palace Courtyard.”

Morgause blinked at him, and Arthur had the idea that this Palace Courtyard must be something important. However, that was secondary to hearing that this was 00000 Nowhere Avenue and that this man was apparently in charge of its boundaries.

He waited, holding his breath.

“Does that include the water lilies?” Morgause asked, her sultriness quickly turning into businesslike snapping.

The stranger rolled his eyes, making eye contact with Arthur just for a moment as if to say _see what I deal with?_

“Yes, Morgause, the water lilies,” the stranger sighed. “And you have my word that I won’t readjust boundaries until you pick three of them.”

“Five,” Morgause said, holding out a bejeweled hand to shake, but the stranger shook his head.

“And hands off the traveler for two weeks,” the stranger nodded in Arthur’s direction. “I won’t have you cleansing anyone just yet.”

“I don’t cleanse men,” Morgause scoffed. “I turn them to pigs to have with my dinner.”

Arthur’s stomach turned as the stranger made a guttural sound in the back of his throat. “My point remains, Morgause. Two weeks without a hand on him.”

“And six water lilies,” Morgause jutted her head out as she held a hand outward.

The stranger took it, and golden sparks lit up their hands as they shook.

“Out,” the stranger said with relative ease, though there was a bite to his voice. Morgause glared at him, but turned on her heel to head down the long cavern corridor.

She turned at the last second to Arthur and said “Once your guard dog is off the hook, come find me if you’re still looking for a certain someone.”

She spun on her heel, and golden dust seemed to follow her down the reddish cavern hall until she was gone from Arthur’s sight.

“Sorry about her,” the stranger behind him said, and Arthur turned to him, hand still clenched around his gun, although he didn’t point it at him. “She gets very moody around this time of year. The weather and all. I think its seasonal depression.”

“Who are you?” Arthur asked cautiously, not getting any closer to the other man but not stepping backward either. He couldn’t be a coward.

“I could ask you the same question,” the stranger raised an eyebrow. “Unlike most of the inhabitants of Nowhere Avenue, I don’t actually have the gift of prophecy, so I just have to ask. Makes me a lot less flashy.”

His disarming tone and white smile put Arthur unsteadily at ease, and he loosened his grip on the gun just slightly. “Arthur. Arthur Pendragon.”

The man cocked his head with a slight smile. “Merlin,” he said, reaching a hand out to shake. The unfamiliar name, one that didn’t seem to have a heavy weight to it, made Arthur finally let go of his gun, slipping it back into its holster as he took Merlin’s arm to shake it. “Merlin Emrys.”

The world slowed for just a moment, and Arthur remembered Mordred’s words. Emrys hadn’t been a warning; Emrys was the one he was meant to seek out, who could give him what he needed.

“Mordred told me I should find Emrys,” Arthur said, heart thumping, as he let go of Emrys’s hand. “And Annis Carleon gave me the address of 00000 Nowhere Avenue.”

“Are you looking for Morgana?”  Emrys tilted his head slightly and the air seemed to seep out of Arthur’s body.

“I thought you said you didn’t have the gift of prophecy,” Arthur laughed weakly but Emrys shook his head.

“I knew Morgana,” Emrys explained and Arthur gaped at him, a bubble of hope rising in his chest. He momentarily pleaded silently that it wouldn’t pop. “She lived here on Nowhere Avenue for about six months. Then she disappeared.”

The bubble popped, but there were still remnants of hope. At least Arthur had a lead. At least he could pave a road for what to do next.

“Let’s go somewhere quieter to talk,” Emrys said uneasily, eyes shifting uneasily over the red cavern walls. “Morgause won’t be back for another two weeks, but Nimueh is always a threat. Follow me.”

Seeing no other choice if he wanted to know what happened to his sister, Arthur followed Emrys down the opposite corridor, ducking through a small doorway Arthur hadn’t seen before.

“Invisible to anyone but those I choose,” Emrys explained when he saw Arthur’s confused expression. “So the others can’t get to my office.”

“Office?” Arthur asked, noticing that the reddish cavern walls around them were slowing spiraling into oranges and yellows as they entered a huge antechamber that seemed to stretch on as far as his eye could comprehend. Down toward the end of his sightline, he thought he saw flashes of greens and blues.

“I have an office in Anywhere – that’s where we’re headed now,” Emrys explained, though Arthur just grew more confused. He’d just come from Anywhere – why hadn’t anyone sent him to this office? “To the magical fortress of Nowhere Avenue, I’m the great and mighty Emrys, but to the people of Anywhere, I’m Merlin, friendly neighborhood PI who helps the helpless and all that.”

“A private investigator?” Arthur raised an eyebrow at him, struggling to keep up with his pace down the caverns even though they were of a height. It had to be magic, the way Emrys could move like that. “Why didn’t I hear of you when I was on Anywhere?”

“Because when you were on Anywhere,” Emrys said with a quirk of his lips, “you probably talked mainly to thieves and addicts and political entities like Annis Carleon – and I try to stay out of the way of thieves and addicts and political entities like Annis Carleon. You don’t find me. I find you.”

“But I found you,” Arthur pointed out, a sense of satisfaction and a need to prove Emrys wrong growing in his chest.

“You found Emrys,” Emrys said with a rueful shake of his head. “Plenty of people can find Emrys. Emrys isn’t real, and when you’re not real, you’re very easy to find here on Nowhere. Everyone knows where they can find Emrys. Merlin, though – I’m Merlin. And I’m real. It’s hard to find real things here, Arthur, as I’m sure you’re finding out.”

“But you’ll help me find Morgana?” Arthur said, lacing steel into his voice to strengthen it, all the while knowing the admission made him weaker. “Emrys, I need your word.”

Emrys turned to him with a half-smile, and Arthur noticed for the first time how young he seemed. He didn’t look all-powerful. He looked like a boy Arthur could’ve gone to school with back on Camelot. Or an addict on the streets of Anywhere.

Or a private investigator who helped the helpless.

“Please call me Merlin,” he said earnestly, and Arthur wondered if this was an act. If Mordred telling him he could trust him was a lie or a ruse, that this genuineness and openness was a trap. The bright look in his eyes seemed to contradict all of Arthur’s suspicions. “Arthur, I promise. I’m going to help you to the best of my ability. And I have a lot of abilities.”

As if to prove it, he snapped his fingers over a chasm in the rocks, and they scraped against each other to form an opening, a gateway, that Merlin gestured to with a swirl of his hand.

“After you,” he said with a bright smile, and Arthur found himself trusting the man despite everything, and walked through the opening.

He found himself in an office – dimly lit by a handful of candles, desk cluttered with papers, a coatrack by the door, a window peering out into the twinkling periwinkle lights of Anywhere’s skyline.

It looked altogether ordinary.

Arthur looked back to see that Merlin had stepped through the opening as well, the opening that was no longer visible. It had been swallowed up by the plain beige walls.

“Now if you could just walk through that door –” Merlin gestured toward the door out to Anywhere, but suddenly his voice faltered, his eyes downcast suddenly, one of his fingers twitching.

“Merlin?” Arthur asked, wary and tentative. “What –?”

“It’s just that I usually wipe people’s memories,” Merlin said, candid as ever, as Arthur gaped at him. “I don’t like them knowing that I’m Emrys as well as Merlin. It’s a well-kept secret of mine, this double life. But I don’t want to wipe your memory, Arthur, because I think we might need it later. And also because. Because I don’t want to. I don’t think you’d take well to it.”

“I sure as hell wouldn’t!” Arthur glared at him, again feeling so unsure about how he was supposed to feel about Merlin. “Look, I’m putting a lot of trust in you here. You’re the owner of 00000 Nowhere Avenue, the place where the most notorious magic in the world exists, and I’m just –”

“You’re the Prince of Camelot, second planet in the orbit of Albion, son to the most notorious magic-hater in all the galaxy, brother to one of the most powerful sorceresses I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting, and you miss her and want to find her because you’re a good brother and a good man.”

Merlin’s eyes, frank and assessing, were somehow soft on Arthur in a way that made his stomach twist.

“I’ll trust you with my secret,” Merlin continued, his lip twitching as if he couldn’t quite believe it himself, “just as you trust me with your life. And I swear I will not let you down. And together, you and I will find Morgana. I swear to you.”

He held out his hand to shake, just as he had done with Morgause. It must be binding, Arthur realized. It must be taken up on both of their accounts. Their word could never be broken.

But it meant Arthur could trust Merlin with his life.

Looking into his eyes, sharp and blue and somehow very kind, Arthur took his hand.

Golden sparks flew between them and Merlin grinned.

“Never seen that happen before,” Merlin remarked, not letting go of Arthur’s hand. “I wonder what that means?"


End file.
